Josh1Eight

Scripture: Numbers 12:1-2, 8-9 While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them...5 Then the Lord descended in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle...8 So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?” 9 The Lord was very angry with them, and he departed. 10 As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy." Observations: After observing the way God had been using Moses to lead God's people and after experiencing the Holy Spirit begin to work though the elders of the people, Aaron's brother and sister began harboring a little jealousy in their ambitious statement, "hasn't [God] spoken through us too?" (vs 2). What's interesting is that God had in fact already spoken through both of them in powerful wa...

Scripture: Numbers 11:1-3, 5-6, 34-35 "Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped...4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. 5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna...33 But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague...there they buried the people who had craved...

Scripture: Numbers 9:16-22 This was the regular pattern—at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. 18 In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. 19 If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the Lord. 20 Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord’s command they would break camp and move on. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. 22 Whether the cloud stayed above t...

Scripture: Mark 13:5, 9, 20, 23, 32, 35-36 5Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you...9 You must be on your guard...20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them...23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time... 32 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come...Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back...What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" Observations: Jesus' explanation about the signs surrounding His return is accompanied by 7 separate warnings to His followers stay alert and keep up their guard at all times. Jesus in now way hinted about His return. He made it as clear as possible so that no one would misunderstand. The fact that He so strongly cautione...

Scripture: Mark 12:29-31 "29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Observations: In response to a question regarding which of God's commands is the most important Jesus stated that loving God comes first before everything else. Loving God requires a total and complete committment involving the entire faculties of a person: the heart, soul, mind, and energy applied at full capacity. This requires serious effort and work; not something that is likely to happen on its own. Loving God requires purpose and intent that are sacrificially given to God in place of other things. While that sounds demanding, the thing that offsets it is the fact that it's God who is unquestionably...